Improvement in snap-hooks



PATENT OFFICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAM NASH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SNAP-HOOKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 165,933, dated July 27, 1875; application filed July 7, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, of New Britain, county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Snap-Hooks; and to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the saine I will proceed to describe, referring to the drawing, in which the same letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

Heretofore in this class of devices the latch has been sometimes pivoted near its center. This construction necessitates a rear -projecting arm, which is ofttimes in the way of the user, or likely to be inopportunely stayed up by dirt or otherwise. There has also been used a similar device having the pivots formed on the rear of the tongue, and braced into its seat by the spring behind it; but this device is likely to get out of order, because an unusual pressure is brought upon the spring'.

In my invention the snap-hook has a longitudinal recess in its body, in which is placed a spring, and a cam-latch is pivoted through its rounded end between the cheeks ot' said recess, and an opening is madethrough the back of said hook, behind said spring, all as will now be more specifically and fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an edge View. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 shows the cam-latch and spring detached from the hook.

a is the hook proper. b is the body of the hook. c is the strap-loop. d is the latch, havingthe cam e on its under side near the heel end. f is an elongated spring tted closely, plays freely, and takes its bearing at each end in the recess g. The cam-latch cl c is secured between the cheeks of recess g by the fulcrumpin h, in suitable position to have its end tightly and neatly coincide with the end of hook a when the latch is closed.

By pressing the latch inward a strap or ring may be introduced into the hook, and by removing the pressure from the latch d the spring f, acting against the cam e, will react the latch back against the end of the hook, and hold it firmly in position.

i is an orifice in the back edge of the body of the hook b, for the purpose of allowing foreign substance to escape, which otherwise might materially prevent its operation.

Thus I am enabled to produce a cheap, efficient, and durable article for use and trade, and one that is not at all likely to get out of order by any accidental deposit of dirt, or by the strain of undue wear.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The hook a and the body b,having orifice i through the back, and recess g, iu which is litted the spring'. f, and between the cheeks of which is pivoted the latch d, having the cam e, the several parts combined and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL. [L S.]

Witnesses:

S. I. WILDER, JEREMY W. BLISS. 

